Lace
by miradeathnote
Summary: In a world ridden of disease comes a new threat. Women are dying at 21, men are dying at 22. Soon a practice begins of wife trading, insuring the race to continue. What happens when a young girl named Lucy becomes a captive, and a wife? *Note: New chapter will be up soon! I promise you won't have to wait a thousand years!*
1. Prologue

Lace

Prologue

Written by: Miradeathnote

Once upon a time there was a vast Kingdom called Fiore. For hundreds of years Wizards, and Witches alike all came together in guilds. The most well known guild was Fairy Tail. Life there was peaceful, with the occasional destruction of some houses and wildlife. It was, simply put, home. One fateful day, all that changed.

A man by the name of Axel Laangrok was born. He was an only child, with a mother and a father. His father owned the guild Blew Lace. In Blue Lace were mostly bachelors looking for wives, thus starting the new ways. All across the globe thousands of guilds were getting into the practice of trading and collecting desperate girls. Axel didn't believe in the practice. He instead went into medicine.

Although his parents tried to per sway him, nothing changed. He wanted to find the cure for cancer. Yes, in this perfect world was still the gloom of cancer, AIDs, and imperfect DNA. However, with his special magic he not only created the cure, but gave away the cure for only 1 jewel. People celebrated, people praised his name. Until October 14, 2034. His mother had recently taken the medicine, guaranteeing her life extending to the age of 100. She also found out she was pregnant with a child. She was overjoyed, and so was Axel. When the baby was born everyone cried for joy. A baby girl, with sapphire eyes and root colored hair.

She was raised like any other child. She had toys, books, art crafts, and even 30 pets for her enjoyment. When she turned the age of thirteen she even got herself a permit. Life was amazing. The years went by and she turned 20. That's when she began to feel pain. First it was in her stomach. Occasional she would throw up her meals in the morning after having breakfast. She began to believe she was perhaps pregnant! No, a month later she began to feel a pain in her chest and developed a very wet cough. Not long after that she started coughing up blood. Some days blood would flow down her cheeks instead of tears. She hurt: She felt as though someone just kept stabbing her over and over again. That poor girl died at the age of 21. She wasn't the only one. All over the world men were dying at the age of 22, women were dying at the age of 21. All of them with the same symptoms, in the same order, and in the same time span.

Axel began to panic, creating medicines for every symptom that showed. However more and more began to die.

Blew Lace began business again. It boomed in fact. Not only were thirteen year olds taken to these tradeoffs, but mother's of three children would be sold. An already married women would be shared between men. It became a desperation. People were dropping dead in streets, some Wizards began to have children with no magic.

That is where our story begins.


	2. Chapter 1

Lace

Chapter 1

"Where are you dragging me to?"

Lucy has never seen Natsu so determined in his life. Stomping down every weed, every piece of rubble in his way. He is on a mission. Natsu keeps his steps even, his mouth set in a firm line. Lucy has known him sense she turned six, around the time her mother began showing symptoms of the disease. Natsu's father, Igneel, was the house doctor, secretly protecting her mother from an unknown threat.

Then, when her mother passed away, Igneel had disappeared with his wife in tow. That had left Natsu vulnerable and alone for a very long time; almost forever. In fact, he would never leave his house for almost two years he was so crushed. However, just a year before, Natsu emerged fresh and clean; ready to start the day anew, starting with his weird trips.

Today was no different, and Lucy knew that. But as she began to look at her surroundings, noticing the silence that followed after them. She began to grow very nervous, already worried for her life. Last surprise trip they had went on almost cost her leg. She did not want to experience that again.

"Natsu, seriously, where are we going?"

"Quit your bitching!"

Lucy jolted at that, she had only made two remarks. Natsu never swore, he never even yelled at her like that.

Suddenly Natsu pauses and points toward a cave. Without a word he travels over to the cave, Lucy follows obediently. When they enter Lucy swallows down a loud gasp. The place reeks of blood, and flies were everywhere.

"Look!"

Lucy opens her eyes and doesn't cut back the screaming. On the ground lays a small body, its body already rotted away.

"Do you know who this is?"

"No?"

When she turns to her side she screams again, staring into the face of a rotting corpse.

"It's me!"

My body jumps, my breath coming out in gasps. What the hell was that?

"Lucy, wake up! It's time for breakfast!"

I rub the sleep the best I can out of my eyes. Yawning I pull the covers back, crawling out from underneath my warm cavern. My room is still a mess, even for only being in there maybe for a few minutes at a time during the day. Still, at least I know what's clean and what isn't!

"Lucy!"

"Coming, damn!"

"Watch your mouth!"

As I approach the kitchen (armored in a blue t-shirt and white wash skinny jeans) I see my boyfriend cooking breakfast. I wrap my arms around his waist, causing him to gasp and flip a cooked egg up onto the ceiling.

"Lucy!"

"Morning."

His name is Leo Zodiac. He wears blue colored glasses and ,when he has any opportunity to, likes to wear suits. This morning he wears his normal pajamas, boxers and a yellow t-shirt with the letter "L" in bright pink.

"I could have burnt you!"

"But you didn't!"

Rolling his eyes he pecks me on the lips, focusing back on breakfast. That reminds me…

"Where's Natsu?"

"Out. He grabbed a banana and ran out the door. Something about being a driver."

Natsu is a temporary roommate for now. He dyes his hair baby pink. His eyes are a blonde color, and you would be blind if you looked at him directly (his teeth are so white)! Through odd circumstances (something about driving) he got homeless, and jobless. So now it has been bestowed to us to home him.

I never complain, he was there for me when mom died. His dad left too, but he doesn't let that get to him. Instead he plasters his blinding smile and goes to every job interview he can get his hands on. This has gotten him no luck.

"Hey, Lucy? Are you still going to that interview?"

Yeah, I lost my job too. My boyfriend works as one of Dr. Langraak's guards, lucky bastard. As I think this I check the time. It is ten to nine…

"Shit! I'm going to be late!"

Leo rolls his eyes, accepts a kiss, and wishes me luck. I wish I had super speed! Going by, I should have noted the empty streets, I should have noted the signs. I should have saw that when I arrived that they were ready. Drugs and all.


	3. Chapter 2

Lace

Chapter 2

"_The child truly is the beacon of hope."_

_"__Hush before you scare the little thing!"_

You know those really weird moments where you are just doing your thing, trying to get a job for example, and then BAM! Suddenly you seem to be sucked back in time. People are whispering into your ears, you're seeing people you know, but not at the same time. Some part of you deep down is saying something like, "Hey! I know you!". However you're just like, "Who the hell are you?" No? I don't blame you.

For as long as I can remember my PTSD has gotten in the way of my life. I remember when my father let me outside for the first time. I was around ten or eleven at the time and I was just running in the yard, my father smiling brightly at me. Then it hit me, like a truck on an unsuspecting turtle. To slow to comprehend it, submerging you with massive pain and intense fear. I remember screaming, people flashing in and out of my vision. Sometimes they held needles and other times they were holding a cup. When I finally snapped out of it my father was shaking me in a panic yelling, "Natsu! Natsu!" To this day it was the only time I saw him cry. He says it's bad to cry because then the fire that lives within us all will burn out. _I wonder if that's why I feel like shit._

My father disappeared about two years ago and still hasn't shown a single sign of ever existing. I wasn't really expecting many clues about his whereabouts. He liked to keep to himself most of the time. Uncle Zeref used to visit when I was younger, but he disappeared too. Pity, he was really nice and he helped me through many of my flashbacks. Back to the subject at hand: my job interview. More specifically where it is at. A small thought occurs to me then, standing in front of a sleazy and sickly looking lady. "_Why is she smiling like that?"_

Her name is Madam Blue, and she definitely makes it easy to remember. She wears a powered blue wig piled high on her head, her skin even tinted slightly blue. Her makeup doesn't help her one bit, powder blue pasted everywhere. She wears an all lace dress that hangs on her bony frame like curtains hanging over a closed window, and if you look close enough you realize she isn't wearing…

I saw that she is offering a job for a driver; the description specifically asking for men under the age of twenty. I try not to roll my eyes at that. Men die at 22 and women die at 21. _It's no wonder no girl wants to be with me, who wants to waste their time with a piece of garbage like me? _

This bring a feeling of dread as I note how old she is. A shiver runs up my spine and spreads across my arms, causing goose bumps to appear. She must be from the first generation, before children were dying at 21. I begin to hear the whispers again, the small voices whisper knowingly. "_This child really is the beacon of hope!_" Immediately after the response always is, "_Hush! Before you scare the little thing!"_She smiles knowingly as if she knows more about me than I know myself. This bring a small flame to ignite in my head, instantly whipping the voices away. A deep hatred rooted in me for as long as my brain will let me remember. I hate arrogant people…

"Um," I start, "about that job?"

She laughs at that, fake just like the rest of her. She smiles politely at me then, waving her in a gesture of "come closer." Thoughts flit through my head at lightning speed. _Does she know? Did she see?_ Is she flirting with me? Am I really going to have to comply? When she doesn't budge, and keeps up her hand motion I sigh quietly. As I lean over her desk she grabs my shirt collar in a vice like grip.

"_Your too precious for that!" _

My stomach sinks to the floor as I realize what she means. This is Blew Lace, the rumored hotel that sells illegal drugs and its specially in wife selections. Specifically _girl_ wives, never husbands. So I should be fine, yet I can't help hearing my father's voice echo warningly in my head.

"_Not everyone believes in having children son. Stay away from places like Blew Lace. It is only bad news for you."_

Oh father, I should have listened to your wise words. _I'm useless… I'm so stupid…_My thoughts race like a million ants after their home is squashed. I struggle to get loose from her grip, and I find hands wrapping around my elbows tugging at them harshly. This brings a quick flash to a man's face. He is laughing at me, taunting me. "_Go ahead little thing! Fight me! Hahaha!_"

Only then does she let go, truly laughing. A sick cackle that sends shivers down my suddenly confined body. She smiles again, and I can tell this is her true face by the way all her wrinkles shape naturally with it.

"Get him ready boys."

When I awake I immediately smell urine and sweat. Soft whimpers echo off the van walls mine soon joining. Why did I have to get kidnapped today of all days? I should have listened to him! Leo was going to make my favorite tonight! Guilt surges through me like getting a shot of adrenaline. It physically moves me and has me bumping into someone's body. Judging by the darkness surrounding me I must be blind folded. Tugging a bit at my wrists reveals I am completely venerable. Someone's voice speaks out, loud and brash against all the whimpering.

"Where are we going?"

She is answered with silence and judging by the loud exasperated sigh afterwards that must have been the expected reaction. This makes my gut drop to the floor and the immediate need to pee swells my bladder. A sudden urge to struggle flows through my arms and I begin to thrash. This causes the startled girl next to me to start screaming in fear, only urging me on. I needed to escape. This is the type of van no one wants to see. No one wants to be in this van, no one wants to be part of this business. What will I do if I can't escape? Panic settles into my heart and I thrash more violently. What if I can't see Leo? What if I die? Right here, right now? What if Natsu is dead? Was he a decoy? Natsu? Why am I worried about that dufus? He's fine! **Right?**

"Hey! Bitch!"

My movements still instantly, hearing the same voice that sighed not even ten seconds ago.

"Calm your tits. We're almost there."

That shocks me back to reality. She is right, no matter how crudely she put it. That suddenly brings dread to my gut, her fate is already chosen before she leaves this van. Her mouth is to vulgar, and she isn't weak like most men like them. To survive this part of our world you have to play the part. Yet, that small part of me whispers sneakily, "_Fight…Rebel..." _ I swallow my whimpers thickly, remembering my mother's words of wisdom as the van lurches to a stop.

"_Remember if you are in a situation meant to break you, fight it. Look them in the eye, never waver. Be proud that you never broke under their spell. For they are never worth it young lady. Never._"


	4. Chapter 3

Lace

Chapter 3

Crashing through trees and various plants is a large man, face hidden underneath a hood. The man holds the smaller hand of a child, just recently turned six. The small child wheezes with the amount of effort he must produce to keep up with the giant. Yelling, and the sound of feet crashing through the undergrowth of the dark forest follows the pair persistently.

"Ganymede!"

Ganymede not even mere moments ago was just sitting in his room, playing with his favorite puzzles. The one he was currently working on stunned the nurses at the time. They began to exclaim things like, "How can he figure that out?" or even, "Is he truly a genius?" Ganymede hated that word: genius. Left a bad taste in his mouth, like drinking orange juice after you brush your teeth. _I have never drank orange juice. I wasn't allowed to. I wasn't allowed to do a lot of things._

Just as Ganymede began to reminisce the giant suddenly wrapped his paws around his waist. This alarmed the boy and he instantly began to thrash around and give out small squeals of anger. The much larger man covered the boy's mouth, lifting the boy up. The boy settles down when the giant leans him against his large chest, the man's heart beat thudding with intensity. _Is he afraid? _

_He just kicked down the door. No warning other than the men in white outside my door. They were screaming with fear and anguish. Were they truly afraid for their lives?_

Ganymede never knew who would live or die. All of his friends seemed to die within days of him knowing them. Like Ares, a boy two years younger than him. The boy had apparently died of mysterious circumstances according to the man with the weird scar. In the blink of an eye a loud bang sounded and the man cradling him gave an audible grunt. He started to stumble, but kept a strong hold on Ganymede. The man started to mumble under his breath.

"Natsu…"

I startle awake, feeling the world spinning around me. My world consisted of peeling wallpaper and a brass bed covered with stained sheets. Such an odd world, I'm supposed to be in heaven right? You know, the one that is fluffy and shit? I need to breathe… I open my mouth to take a proper deep breath when I suddenly begin to cough. My throat is as dry as Lucy's pancakes on Sunday mornings. Why did Leo let her cook again? _Because you're useless…_

Just then I hear an audible creak to my left. I snap my head toward that direction, startling a very blue girl. Quite literally she could be a younger version of that bitch. Shoulder length blue hair, blue eyes, blue lips, blue, blue, and more blue. Staring at her I notice her eyes are slightly tinged pink, had she been crying? _Why should you care?_ She smiles, albeit nervously, and slowly approaches with a small cup.

"Thirsty?"

I bob my head spasmodically. She hands me the cup without another word. Immediately I chug down the gritty liquid, almost throwing it back up. I give her the darkest glare I can muster in my weak state. She seems to flinch and her eyes gloss over with fresh tears.

"I'm sorry! Our plumbing is going bad again! I tried to get it as clear as possible!"

Guilt washes over me in waves and with my throat quenched I speak to her softly.

"Sorry, what happened?"

She looks taken aback by my comment, but that seems to bring her spirits back up. She smiles and informs me about what went down after I blacked out. Apparently Madam Blue's favorite man meat disappeared and her most loyal customers were having conniption fits. She knew that only desperate boys from after her generation would be easy to get. After I had been knocked out (apparently I fit her needs perfectly) she had the men drag me and bath me. This caused the pipes to be compromised and so the men were forced to then dry me and lay me in my new room. When she finished her explanation I could only find myself able to say one word.

"Fuck."

Why did this have to happen to me? Why couldn't it have been that bitch who lived across the street? The streeker that seems to have a thing for the cold? Why me? _You're so stupid._

"My name is Juvia."

I jump a little at her sudden comment. That's when it passes through my head. I never introduced myself.

"I… My name is Ganymede."

A small part of me still didn't trust her, and where that name come from I have no idea. It just seems familiar on my lips. She giggles suddenly and approaches me with no hesitation.

"I love your name! Ganymede, Greek right?"

I must have given her a weird look because she starts laughing lightheartedly, making her way over to a tall dresser in the farthest corner of the room. That corner seemed to be from a whole different world. The dresser is surrounded my mirrors of all different sizes and styles. That corner of the floor is also covered with blue carpet. Pulling myself up I look at Juvia opening the dresser's drawers enthusiastically. She looks at me with a look that says, "Get over here silly!"

I knew that look quite well. Leo liked to give me that look whenever I pissed him off, or Lucy for that matter. _Better do as they say pet._ On instinct I get up as fast as humanly possible, but regret it almost instantaneously. The throbbing in my head comes back with its in-laws, reminding me of how I got in this situation. With caution I approach the suddenly jovial Juvia.

"What are you going to do?"

She gives me an incredulous look.

"Dressing you of course," she then snaps back to being nervous. Is she bipolar? Or does she have some kind of disorder? _Is she afraid of me?_

"If that's okay with you?"

I gives her my best smile.

"Sure. As long as I am not half naked like that bitch downstairs."

When the blind fold is finally pulled off of my face I try to meet the person's eyes. I was hoping I would, but this guy wore sunglasses. Why are you hiding? I feel the ache in my fingers intensify. I really should listen to Leo more often. Leo…

A slam of a car door brings my attention, along with the other girls surrounding me. The man that steps out does not immediately register in my mind. His hair's volume could make anyone in the west jealous, and the midnight spikes seemed to defy gravity's laws. His left eye held a soft blue color, his skin a beige color. German descent maybe? It isn't until he completely turns his head towards us that his face registers in my mind. That right eye, or at least what used to be of it. The scar that surrounded it darkened over the years and had discolored his eye to an odd red color. Almost like the leaves when they change in the fall.

"Axel Laangrok…"

Barely an audible whisper, but I regret it the moment the words fell from my lips. His head swivels my direction, piercing me with his cold discolored eyes. He only gazes at me for a few seconds before he turns back to the first girl in line. He rustles for something in his suit jacket before pulling the desired object out. Before the poor girl could scream a loud bam crackles through the air. That's how things went down for the next few minutes. When he approaches a tall women with bright red hair, and a good set (not that I am comparing…) he seems to hesitate to shoot. She sneers at him.

"Bastard! You gonna kill me too? Go right ahead, fucking monster!"

So this was the girl who spoke to me moments before, when we were unknowingly safe inside a van. I watch as his expression changes from hesitation to absolute certainty.

"Her."

Out of nowhere men surround her and drag her off to Axel's car, her kicking and screaming on the way there. A few more poor girls later he approaches me. I feel my heart beat throb in my throat, threatening to pop out of my mouth. He smiles at me sweetly before saying again, "Her."

They have to drag me away because my legs have turned into goop. The relief, the selfish relief that flooded through my veins and heart made me feel so weak. As soon as I am settled next to the red head I hear another shot and a rush of guilt runs up my spine. What if that was my mother? What if that was Natsu? Wait, what? I had completely forgotten about Natsu! Axel is at the end of the line when Natsu's face enters my mind. I can't believe it! He needs me, just as much as Leo!

"She will do."

The last girl is quite young, fourteen or fifteen at least. She has long wavy blonde locks, a platinum glow rather than my almost fake yellow color. Her eyes are a dull green as if she has seen worse than women being shot. Almost like she could care less whether she lived or not. In fact the way she stood, with her back crouched slightly, her eyes looking at her feet, told me all I needed to know. She's afraid, and she is defending herself from pain.

I don't even register when I am being pushed into a door, the door slamming shut behind me. I can only recognize the awkward feeling of being alone with two probably mental girls. The limo lurches forward, signaling the start of an awkward red head snaps her head towards me suddenly and asks me, "Who are you?"

"Who are you?" responds the blonde girl slyly, her eyes still dull.

This seems to aggravate the red head who snaps at her. From what I can study about her she seems to get mad when nervous, while the small girl gets depressed. Seems I have something in common with both of them. Except with how I deal with it; I scratch at myself.

It isn't really noticeable at first, a light scratch at the wrists, or behind my head. If I get to nervous I begin to continuously scratch at myself until I am either bleeding or out of the situation. I feel that strong urge, that horrible habit nagging at the back of my head. With my hands bound I begin to whimper in desperation, I know I am probably irritating the red head, but I can't help it. I need a distraction…

"Lucy."

Both the blonde and the red head seem surprised I spoke, though I don't entirely blame them.

"Erza," the red head responds back, with a much calmer voice.

"Mavis," is the quiet response back.

Silence envelopes the backseats once more. No, I can't have that!

"Mavis, are your eyes naturally like that?"

The small girl seems shocked at my bold question, but thankfully she smiles gently.

"Yes. I happen to be blind."

From the corner of my eye I can see Erza's eyes widen and her head swivels towards me. I turn to face her, probably with the same expression. This explains so much, is what she is probably thinking. I nod my head silently, her expression changing to a calm smirk. I slowly begin to feel the urges web away from me. Still there, but barely noticeable now.

"What is your favorite color Erza?"

"Red. What is your favorite dessert?"

"Lemon cake. Hey, Lucy?"

"Yeah?"

"What do you think will happen to us?"

I ponder for a moment, thinking of a probable answer. Erza beats me to it.

"Probably marrying one of Axel's four."

Axel's four best scientists, so far the only ones able to live long enough to discover cures. So called "cures" can help someone to live **maybe** a year longer. Such false hopes, and we have to marry them? Don't they already have two or three wives? I open my mouth to ask those question when the driver says something.

"We have arrived."

As the limo approaches a tall gold gate the window next to Erza opens all the way, revealing the outside world. All three of us seem to have a common thought for we all crowd around Erza's window to see where we were. We were being driven through a rose garden, but not just any rose garden. These were legendary blue roses! It is predicted that only eleven or ten grow every year! Axel truly is rich if he has an entire, what looks to be, an acre of these flowers! It seems Erza thinks the same. Then it registers in my head and I flinch in guilt.

"Hey, Mavis?"

"Yes?"

I felt bad, but I didn't want to insult her either. She is stuck in this situation as well, and she is so far the calmest out of us three. Speaking of anxiety, the urges are starting to come back. Damn ropes!

The limo slows to a halt, allowing us to see the left side of the house. Not only blue roses, but cherry blossom trees too! Oh look, he even has Natsu's favorite flower! What were they called again?

Mavis seems to sniff the air for a moment, before getting extremely excited. "Snapdragons!"


End file.
